Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-01-10
WAS HE A MAN OF DESTINY
An Iowa soldier Whose Wounds Brighten
ed Railroad out OF "A Lawsuit.


Northwestern. Mckinley was Il huge
man. powerful and athletic. One day,
years ago. when it was customary to
reserve car in each passenger train
for ladies' and their escorts. he left his
sachel in 4 seat at Harvard, Ill.,. and
returned to the platform to bid his
friends good-by. Upon attempting TO
re-enter the car the brakeman stopped
him with the query: Lady IN the car,
SIRE
No, but | have a grip"
Can't let you in; it's against the
rules"
"Drat the rules.' and with that Me-
Kinley forced his way through the door.
just as he passed, the brakeman hit
him a terrific blow on the LETT shoulder,
fracluring the bone in three places.
Mckinley turned, picked the brakeman
up with the right hand, dashed HIM to
the floor, and nearly tramped the lungs
out OF him. Then he stepped into the
first law off e he came TO and began
suit for $25 600. The railroad attorney
to whom the defense was committed
had some difficulty in looking up Nc
kinney record, until quite accidentally
one day he met an old Iowa friend who
was well acquainted with the defendant.
Why Mckinley" said the Iowa
man, was one of the brayest, and at
the same time one Of the most unfortu-
nate. OF soldiers. Ii he hadn't the con-
stitution of a cat he'd have been dead
years ago; and if bis wounds hadn't
kept him in the hospital so long he
would have graduated from the REBEL
ION Il brigadier instead of captain.
He was a marvellous fighter. Mckinley
started out Il private with the Sth Iowa
in 1861. He led q charge at Blue Mills,
Missouri, and was shot through both
legs. He was promoted to q lieutenancy
for gallantry, and upon leaving the
hospital in July, 1862, was assigned to
the Oath Iowa infantry, then forming
His next setback was down in the Vicks-
burg campaign. At Champion Hill
shell exploded over him, one piece
crashing through his face, near the
right nostril, and lodging in his throat,
another Embedding itself in his brain.
Inserting finger, he coolly picked the
piece out of his throat and then col
lapsed. 1t took months and months to
restore him. The iron never was taken
out of his brain, and eventually a run
ming sore came in the roof of his mouth.
He reioned us in November. 1868, at
New Iberia, in southwestern Louisiana.
The day he returned to duty his COM
pany happened to be stationed near the
drum corps in dress parade. At the
first beat on the drums an unearthly
yell escaped HIM and he fell to the
ground almost dead from nervous pros
tration. He was returned to the hospi-
tai. Again he set out in the spring of
1864 to join his command. which was
following the unfortunate Banks through
the Red river campaign. The steamer
conveying him up the river was attack
ed above Alexandria and riddled. He
escaped with bullet wound through
the right arm, but he had 10 go back to
the hospital.
Il never saw Mckinley again until
our regiment got around in Virginia
He returned to us in the Sheridan cam
paign. BY this time the boys had all
come to regard him as a 'hoodoo, and
the first word that passed along the line
was: Mckinley Is back; look out for
fight. The battle of Fisher Hill follow
ed, but he went through it valiantly
without sustaining SO much as IL scratch.
Then we thought that perhaps he had
struck the limit and his luck had chang
ed. The night following we were pur-
suing the enemy down the turnpike.
Everybody supposed there was cavalry
depioy ahead. and we were marching
listlessly. waiting for the echoes of an
engagement. AS we were plodding up
a detile u volley of artillery and enough
musketry to keep it respectable COM
pany struck Us square from the front.
The cOnfederates were intrenched at
the summit of the knoll which the pike
crossed. Every one fell fiat and crawl
ed out the best way he could. The
rebels were afteward dislodged, and re-
treated with our corps in pursuit
Among the killed and wounded Me-
Kinley was found, shot through the hip
twice and his thigh bone broken. was
left with another drummer to take care
of him until morning. He was placed
with twelve other wounded men in a
cabin at Edinburgh. About midnight
Mosby. prowling in our rear, raided the
town. Myself and chum crawled under
the cabin. The gucrrillas walked up to
the door and fired a volley into the dy-
ing men. Eight of them were killed.
At least dozen holes were shot through
Mckinley's cot and covering. but he
had received his last wound of the war,
TO tho close of which he was confined in
the hospital.
The next time | heard of Mckinley
was at Cedar Rapids in 1867. 1t was
during the state fair One morning, in
scanning local newspaper, read that
he was there representing the Beloit
Roofing-Paper company. He was super
intending the unloading of ear full of